1. Field of the Invention
The apparatus of the present invention relates to vehicle exhaust systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to an adapter for vehicle exhaust systems which would be placed intermediate the manifold from the exhaust on the internal combustion engine and the muffler for selectively allowing the exhaust to bypass the muffler for direct exhaust from the header to the atmosphere.
2. General Background
In the area of exhaust systems for vehicles, particularly automobiles, the exhaust system is provided with a silencing mechanism or muffler which helsp to limit the noise from the development of the exhaust gases to a legally permissible decibal level. However, due to the passage of the exhaust through the muffler system, the output of the internal combustion engine is reduced. Therefore, it is sometimes necessary, for example for racing or the like that the output of the internal combustion engine be increased so that the full output can be explored.
In the present state of the art, this is usually undertaken by a removal of the muffler from the exhaust system, or by interchanging of the muffler system to a different system as to have direct exhaust from the header into atmosphere for the necessary output of the engine desired. There could be a considerable expenditure in addition to the continuing task of installation and disassembling of the exhaust gas mufflers in order to interchange between the use of the muffler and the use of the header without the muffler. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a system incorporated into an existing muffler system on an automobile or the like, whereby a simple maneuvering of a few parts would allow the exhaust from the engine to bypass the muffler and be directed to ambient atmosphere through the header. Likewise, it would be advantageous to, by simple replacement of several parts re-set the use of the muffler system in normal use of the vehicle.
Several patents have been granted which address the question of automobile exhaust systems, the most pertinent being as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,199 issued to Weber, entitled "Exhaust Gas Muffler For Internal Combustion Engines Of Vehicles", relates to an apparatus that provides an exhaust gas muffler which can be adapted to utilization between a muffler and without a muffler. The exhaust gas muffler is constructed as a combination muffler with several exhaust pipes in which exhaust gas conduction from the internal combustion engine to the exhaust pipe takes place selectively by way of silencing means of the muffler or in bypassing the silencing means into the atmosphere.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,179,075 issued to Collins, entitled "Cut-Out Silencer", relates to a device for cutting out the mufflers and to permit the exhaust to pass directly into the atmosphere having a perforated member at or over the outer or discharge terminal of a cut out tube or pipe which opens from the exhaust tube or pipe to a point between the engine and muffler.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,227,461 issued to J. S. Losee, entitled "Muffler Cut-Out", relates to a hollow member forming a head therefore in open communication intermediate the muffler casing at the ends of the hollow member being opened and in line with each other for connection with the exhaust pipe of an engine in the opposite end open to the atomsphere. There is also included a valve for closing the second end of the pipe.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,447,380 issued to Goetz, entitled "Combined Muffler And Cut-Out", relates to an exhaust cut-out positioned within a muffler proper having a common valve member for closing the cut-out and for opening the cut-out and shutting off the muffler to direct the exhaust gases directly into the atmosphere.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,968,359 issued to J. Cocker, entitled "Muffler Construction", relates to an apparatus for deflecting the exhaust gases from going through the muffler to bypassing the muffler and going straight to the exhaust pipe without the use of internal valving members or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,615,564, issued to Beery, U.S. Pat. No. 1,626,908, issued to Armstrong, U.S. Pat. No. 1,840,082, issued to Breer, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,766,973, issued to Beck all teach various types of silencer mufflers for internal combustion engines.